. ♪ ♪ >> president obama cites the connecticut shooting as a reason for republicans to compromise on the fiscal cliff. in a long defense of the white house offer. john boehner explained the plan "b" in less than one minute. this is "special report." ♪ ♪ >> bret: good evening. i'm bret baier. the battle how to avoid going over the fiscal cliff, ramped up as both sides were long on threat and short on movement. if negotiations go up in smoke, as you might imagine, both president obama and speaker boehner insist it's the other guy's fault. as he announced that vice president biden will spearhead the response to the mass shooting in connecticut, president obama hit with series of questions about fiscal cliff. >> if this has done anything, give us perspective. >> twice, he used the gun tragedy, plus sandy to sell the budget plan. >> when you think of what we have gone through over the last couple of months, devastating hurricane. now one of the worst tragedies in our memory. the country deserves folks to be willing to compromise on behalf of the greater good. >> in private, minutes be